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Sir Alcon Copisarow

Diplomatic scientific attaché who had to disappoint the Duchess of Windsor

September 28 2017, 12:01am, The Times

Alcon Copisarow had an analytical mind and was quick to spot flaws in the way that ­organisations were being runANNA GORDON

When Alcon Copisarow, the scientific attaché at the British embassy in Paris, addressed the Duke and Duchess of Windsor over tea and cucumber sandwiches in the mid-Fifties, their response was abrupt.

The duchess walked out of the room and the duke swiftly saw Copisarow to his waiting car. Fearing that they were in danger of succumbing to radiation sickness because of pollution from a nearby nuclear research laboratory, the “exiled” royals had lobbied the British ambassador, Gladwyn Jebb. The couple wanted their French home designated British territory so that they could address the problem more effectively.

Jebb dispatched his scientific attaché to deal with issue. Copisarow made it clear to the duke and duchess that there was no risk of nuclear contamination and that their…

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